03/04/2025
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru strengthen their capacities to manage data and information on fires, their investigation and prosecution
Fire managers from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, as well as members of the security forces and prosecutors’ offices involved in the prosecution of forest fires have met at the Spanish Cooperation Training Centre in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) to exchange good experiences in the management of information on forest fires and the investigation of causes and prosecution of the crime.
This training, organised by FIAP and the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, within the framework of the Amazonía+ programme financed by the European Union, was held between 10 and 14 March and prioritised exercises on real cases. In the first block, participants were introduced to the conceptual and practical aspects of fire information management, including data collection, management and exploitation. In addition, practical exercises were included on the design and implementation of data forms and the analysis of information and the drawing of conclusions using specialised software.
In the second block, the training focused on the expert investigation of the causes of fires and the criminal investigation of fires.
In addition to learning about the structure of the Spanish prosecution system and its protocols, the participants have developed a process of expert investigation of a real burn, carried out on a burning table provided by the Cordoba Forest Fire Investigation Brigade (BIIF).
The burning table is a flat structure where a scenario, a forest or a field area is simulated. On this burning table, a real burning scenario is simulated with a provoked start and a route to study the signs and clues that the fire itself leaves in its wake and thus be able to determine where and why the fire originated.
Another of the exercises carried out by the Civil Guard of the Nature Protection Team of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, dealt with the contents of prevention and intelligence, as well as technical practices of police interviews where the different roles that are usually present in fires have been represented, thus allowing to see the different points of view or ways of acting of each of the actors involved: affected neighbours, people as witnesses of the fire or community authorities, among others.
This training is part of the Training Plan on Integrated Fire Management 2024-2026, designed by FIAP and MITECO in the framework of the Amazon+ programme.
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru will have the opportunity to continue accessing new training resources and share their experiences and knowledge during the implementation of this Plan.
